Counting Stars
by aDreamerEnigmatic
Summary: Prussia and Canada get stranded while on a date and have no choice but to call America for help.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters or their parent content. I do, however, own this story.

**Note: **I feel that I should point out that this has nothing to do with the song of the same title.

* * *

Canada and Prussia lay in a heap of blankets and pillows that were tucked into the corners and folded around the contours of the bed of an old green pickup truck. They had driven out to where it was darkest and parked in the empty field, awaiting the start of the forecasted meteor shower. They had searched for constellations in the sea of brilliant pinpricks, finding comfort in the familiar shapes until one by one the meteors shot across the sky. They made a wish on the first one, Prussia wrinkling his nose and teasing when Canada refused to tell him what he had wished for. As more and more meteors flashed across the sky they had shared slow, sensual kisses that had turned into caresses and sighs and names called in ecstasy that faded into tangled limbs and calming heartbeats until they lay as they were now, naked and breathless beneath the blankets watching the meteors slow in their frequency until the sky was once again still. Canada snuggled closer to Prussia under the blanket pressing a kiss just below his jawline. Prussia gathered him close and kissed his forehead before leaning in and kissing his mouth. "This was a good idea, Birdie," he muttered.

"The best idea," Canada replied before giving him a kiss in return. Prussia had been so excited when planning the trip after watching the weather forecast that morning that Canada was sure this had been the intended outcome. Canada didn't mind. They lay against each other, once again searching the constellations and sharing an occasional kiss, Prussia idly wondering how many stars there were. Canada laughed and called him an idiot before suggesting they find their clothes and hit the road before they fell asleep and were chased away when the sun came up by an angry farmer for trespassing in his field. Groping around in the plushy filling of the truck bed they found their belongings and relocated to the cab of the truck.

It was noticeably colder now that they were no longer cuddling. Prussia slid in behind the wheel and Canada scooted to the middle of the bench seat which was not the most logical place for him to sit but it was closer to Prussia. The keys had been left in the ignition for safe keeping. Prussia had been afraid he would drop them in the sea of pillows and not be able to find them in the dark. He grasped the key and turned it in the ignition as he leaned over to kiss Canada one more time. The truck struggled and sputtered but nothing happened. Prussia turned his whole attention over to the truck as he tried the key again. It refused to start. Canada and Prussia looked at each other in horror as they realized that they were stuck, trespassing, in the middle of nowhere. Canada gasped in realization and placed his hand on Prussia's knee to get his attention as he tried one more time to coax the engine into turning over. "Gil! The radio…" Prussia had turned off the lights and left the radio on, turned up just enough so that they could hear it in the back. They had been so absorbed in each other that they had not noticed when it had cut out. Prussia stared at the steering wheel then at Canada as realization hit him. "The battery." Canada nodded agreement even though it had not been a question and Prussia spit out a rude word in German. "Now what?" he asked grumpily.

Canada sat thoughtfully for a moment, patting Prussia's knee to reassure him. "The only thing we can do is call for help. We can't leave the truck here. We're not even supposed to be here!"

"I really don't think anyone would necessarily be angry with their nation's personification borrowing their field," Prussia countered.

"Unless they, I don't know, didn't recognize me…? Besides, I really don't think it's appropriate to use my status to justify trespassing."

"Oh, fine," Prussia sighed in defeat. They argued for a few minutes over who to call. America was the best choice; he was the closest especially considering they were practically sitting on the Canadian/American border. Neither of them wanted to admit to the loud and obnoxious nation that they had made such a silly mistake. They ticked through the rest of the list of family and friends. In the end, America was still the only choice. Everyone else was simply too far away to be helpful before the sun came up. Canada placed the call to America's cell phone, wincing when a grumpy voice answered the phone. "Dude! Do you even know what time it is!?"

"Well, no, not really. No," Canada stammered, still trying to figure out how he was going to manage asking his brother for help.

"Well it's so late that it's early," America stopped abruptly as if a thought had just struck him. "Dude, you aren't hurt or anything, right? Do you need me to rescue you or something? It was Prussia, wasn't it? I never was sure I liked that guy. What'd he do to you?" America asked each question without pause giving Canada no time to answer which left him inexplicably giggling. "What's so funny!?" America demanded, his concentration broken by the giggles from the other end of the call. "Wait. Are you drunk?" Canada laughed even harder, earning raised eyebrows and a curious look from Prussia.

"I'm not drunk, I'm not hurt, and Gil didn't do anything to me that I didn't thoroughly enjoy,"

"Ugh… Ew, dude. I really don't want to know."

"Sorry. I do sort of need to be rescued, though. We… Well, we came out to see the stars but the battery in the truck is dead. Can… can you come fix it?"

America laughed way too much to suit Canada but he let it go. He needed his help. "Sure, bro. Where are you?" After giving his brother the location and receiving his promise to be there soon, Canada disconnected the call and covered his face with his hands. Prussia grabbed Canada's wrists, pulling his hands away from his face and gathered him against his chest whispering apologies into his hair. Canada dismissed the transgression as a mistake that anyone could make as he stroked the fabric of Prussia's shirt.

"We might as well go back outside. It isn't any warmer in here and at least we'll be able to see the sky while we wait," Canada suggested. Prussia agreed and they relocated once again to the back of the truck. Canada arranged the blanket around them and put his arms around a brooding Prussia. Prussia leaned into him but kept his silence. Canada kissed his hair and let him be. If Prussia wanted to share, he would. There was no use asking him about it now; he would just be met with grumbles and head shakes. They didn't have to wait a terribly long time before there were headlights on the road in the distance. They watched as the lights turned off the road and began bouncing through the field toward them. America pulled up beside them in a much newer version of the truck they were sitting in. He left the engine running as he got out and went to the back of his own truck. "Never fear, lovebirds!" he all but shouted as he lifted the lid to the toolbox on the back and hung a portable work light so he could see. "The hero is here to save you," he chuckled again as he rummaged around in the toolbox. "How'd you let the battery die, anyway?" He asked as he pulled out the jumper cables.

"We left the radio on while we watched the meteor shower," Canada answered.

"Well, that wasn't a good idea," America said as he dragged the cables to the front of his truck. "Pop the hood, will ya?"

Canada rolled his eyes but complied, leaving a glowering Prussia sitting in the pile of blankets. "Yeah. We figured that out. Right after we discovered the truck wouldn't start," Canada chuckled.

"Well, I thought it was an _awesome_ idea," Prussia said sulkily, still in the back of the truck. "You know, before the battery died." Canada rolled his eyes again. He was beginning to understand why Prussia was so sulky. He and America were apparently in some unspoken "awesome war." Having to be rescued could definitely be classified as un-awesome. He opened the hood of his own truck and walked around to the bed. He pulled Prussia down to stand with him as America clipped the ends of the jumper cables first to his battery and then to the battery in Canada's truck. America joined them, his blond hair backlit by the work light hung in the toolbox.

"That battery's pretty old… you'll probably want to replace it," America said, sniffing and looking at the dirt.

"I know how to take care of a car, Al. Thanks for coming."

"Technically it's a truck. And you're welcome."

Canada rolled his eyes again as Prussia and America eyed each other silently. They had become good friends and Canada wasn't sure what had sparked this new rivalry. "What's with you two tonight?" he asked, tired of the tension hanging in the air.

"Nothin'!" America answered too quickly to suit Prussia. Prussia glowered at the dirt and growled a similar answer.

"Well, it's a funny looking 'nothing' if you ask me," Canada replied, crossing his arms and looking once again skyward. He was becoming frustrated with the two.

"This is so not awesome," Prussia mumbled, confirming Canada's suspicion.

America laughed. "Dude, next time bring a portable radio or something. That way when the batteries die your ride will still work."

America and Prussia shared a look that that broke the tension and left them both laughing.

I thought you were going to come sailing in giving lectures about how to take care of a car or yell at us for being careless." Prussia said between giggles.

"It's a truck. And, not that I would anyway, but I can't lecture someone on the things I've done myself." America said, rubbing his eyes and wiping the tears that had formed there away. "How do you think I figured out the portable radio? And before you tell me to catch up with the times, Matt, I tried using my phone for music. The battery died and I got lost because I couldn't use the map app and J- uh… my date didn't know where we were either."

"I wasn't going to say anything! I'm just wondering who you'd want to take stargazing- more than once, apparently. Especially someone who doesn't also have a device with a GPS." Canada trailed off, trying to get America to let slip the name of his current love interest.

America blushed and looked away. He was not about to tell his brother that he had lost his own phone and the one that had died belonged to his "date." He also didn't want to talk to his brother about his dating habits as of late, especially since he hadn't pinned down exactly where the relationship was going. Honestly, he was afraid to ask. "I think I'm gonna check on the battery," he mumbled, heading for the cab of the old truck and hoping to escape explanations.

Canada laughed. "Can I guess? I have a couple of ideas,"

"Let it go, Matt."

Canada chuckled again. He could wait for an answer. He stepped closer to Prussia and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Feeling any better?"

"I suppose," he replied as he slid his hands around Canada's back. He leaned in and pecked the blonde's lips as America came back around the side of the truck.

"Um. Ew? I mean, your relationship is beautiful and all, but I really don't want to be included."

Prussia let go of Canada and leered at America. "Well, you weren't included, but you can be if you'd like."

"Oh my God, Gil, no he can't!" he turned to his brother, "No you can't."

America made a face. "Ugh. Not my kink, man."

"I was kidding. I don't want to share, anyway." Prussia laughed, feeling like the victor in an undeclared battle and much more his awesome self. America made another face.

"I would ask you why you're with him, but that's rude," America growled, talking to Canada but glaring at Prussia.

"Too much?" Prussia asked.

"Uh, Y-yeah, a bit," Canada stammered.

"Sorry. Won't do it again," he said hiding his face in Canada's hair, escaping America's glare by not looking at him.

"Thanks. Al, how's the battery?" Canada stepped away to inspect the vehicles and the cable temporarily connecting the two.

"Should be getting close. Try it." Canada turned the key in the ignition and the engine sputtered and coughed but caught and the truck roared to life, Canada yelling happily with it. America unhooked the cables and stowed them and the work light in the toolbox, casting them into darkness again.

Canada threw his arms around America in a rare display of brotherly affection. "Thank you! I was sure we were going to be stuck here and then get caught trespassing."

"Not a problem" America flashed his trademark smile, laughing again at his brother and his apparent nervousness about being somewhere he shouldn't.

"Um, I think we may have been caught trespassing anyway," Prussia said tensely, pointing up the hill toward the old farm house that had previously been dark. It seemed like all the lights on the lower level and the porch were turned on and someone was on the porch yelling, judging by the body language. They were too far away to hear.

The three nations scrambled to get into the correct vehicle, shouting quick goodbyes and slamming the doors, tires trailing dust until they hit the road where they departed in opposite directions. Canada was behind the wheel this time and Prussia leaned over to place a kiss on his jaw. "I really am sorry about what I said before."

"Don't worry about it. The look on his face was worth the embarrassment," Canada giggled. "Just don't do it again, eh?"

"Sure thing, birdie." Prussia kissed his cheek again and laid his head against Canada's shoulder.

A week later there was a knock at the door. Prussia went to get it while Canada finished the pancakes. He came back into the kitchen carrying a package. "It's from your brother." He turned it over carefully inspecting all sides of the box.

"Well, don't just stand there trying to use x-ray vision you don't have." He said as he flipped the pancakes out of the pan. "Open it!" Prussia scowled and pulled on the tape. Inside was an emergency weather radio that picked up AM and FM frequencies in addition to the weather alerts. It also had a flashlight tucked into the side and a handle that flipped up. America had included a note: "Hey dudes! Thought you could use this… hope it works up there. I love you guys but I don't want to see you at 3 in the morning anymore. Don't make any more farmers mad!" Canada chuckled as he read the end of the note. It was signed with two names, confirming the suspicions he'd had a week ago.

Prussia leaned in close and whispered in Canada's ear, "I can't wait to use this."

Canada blushed as he turned and kissed Prussia's mouth.


End file.
